More H1N1 vaccinations planned

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ST. CHARLES – Those Kane County residents who received wrist bands at Kane County Health Department's three H1N1 flu vaccine clinics on Monday and did not get vaccinated can go to the Kane County Fairgrounds today to get vaccinated.

The department had planned to vaccinate 4,000 people at each of the three clinics at St. Charles North High School, East Aurora High School and Larkin High School in Elgin.

There were long lines at each clinic. The department vaccinated 2,980 people at St. Charles North, 3,937 people at East Aurora and 3,555 people at Larkin High School, Kane County Health Department spokesman Tom Schlueter said.

"Everybody was trying very hard to get as many people as possible vaccinated," Schlueter said. "I understand the frustration of those who were standing in line. The people who were standing in line deserve all the credit. They wanted to protect their communities."

He stressed that only those with wrist bands will be able to receive H1N1 flu vaccinations from 2:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at the Kane County Fairgrounds on Randall Road in St. Charles.

Depending on vaccine supplies, the department plans to hold more vaccination clinics Monday and Nov. 9 for those in high-risk groups, such as if they are pregnant or between 6 months and 24 years old.

The county ordered 64,000 doses of vaccine but has received only 17,500 doses so far because of limited supplies across the country.

Schlueter said the health department knew there was going to be a lot of interest in people wanting to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine, especially in light of St. Charles East High School being closed last week because of widespread illness.

St. Charles East High School reopened on Monday. It had been closed since Wednesday after about 45 percent of the students were absent from the school last Tuesday. The school has an enrollment of 2,200 students.

Preliminary data of the absences at St. Charles East has revealed that less than 10 percent of those students who were sick had the flu, said Paul Kuehnert, executive director of the Kane County Health Department.

This week's absentee rate at St. Charles East continues to go down. There were 131 absent students on Tuesday, down from 136 on Monday, said St. Charles School District spokesman Jim Blaney.

In comparison, 972 St. Charles East students were absent from school last Tuesday.

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